Suspected ritualists kill woman in Cross River

A Primary Health Care Coordinator in Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State, Mrs. Helen Ilonge (51), has been murdered by suspected ritualists.

The victim, who lost her husband 12 years ago, has five children.

It was learnt that a commercial motorcyclist, simply identified as Ifeanyi, a.k.a. Koboko, was given N10,000 by ritualists to provide them with a woman.

Sources said the late Mrs. Ilonge, who was returning from a church programme in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, to Ukpe, a village on the Ogoja–Ikom highway, boarded Ifeanyi’s motorcycle and was taken to the ritualists.

A neighbour said: “She deceased phoned her daughter, Victoria Agah, at about 9pm that she was at Okpogrinya Junction and was taking a motorcyle to Igoli.

“After that call, the phone was unavailable until a couple of days later, when the kidnappers phoned demanding N50,000 ransom, which they said should be sent through MTN and Glo recharge cards.

“The caller, who said they were at Ishi Eke near Abakaliki, claimed that he needed money to run away from his master, who he said was a ritualist. He said once he gets the cards, he would release Mrs. Ilonge.

“Her daughter could not raise the money for the recharge cards and she went to the Bekwara Council Headquarters, where the Head of Aadministration, Mr. Bisong Bogbo, and the Council Chairman, Mr. Linus Edeh, provided the money and sent the cards to the kidnappers online.

“After receiving the cards, the kidnappers stopped calling. Ifeanyi was located by the police through a tracking device on the phone. He was arrested in Abuochiche, where he was selling the recharge cards.

“Ifeanyi led the police to the mastermind of the kidnap and he too was arrested. They confessed that as at the time Ifeanyi demanded the recharge cards, the woman had been butchered and her remains buried in a swamp.

“They said the woman was wasted because the oracle they took her head and private parts to rejected them and they were thrown away.”

Commissioner of Police Osita Ezechukwu said: “We have made several arrests and those found guilty would be prosecuted.

“Those involved in her abduction have been picked up and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). Investigation is methodical and we have to use scientific equipment and other means to establish the truth. We will soon conclude our investigations and arraign the suspects.”